The Tale of SwimsAround
by Finwitch1
Summary: Story of an Argonian prisoner sent to Morrowind.


The Tale of Swims-Around Prologue - prison

Swims-Around sat quietly in her cell, remembering her earlier days. She knew not her parents, for she had been found in a slave-bin while still an egg. She had spent her childhood on the charity of the Imperial Cult and those who served the Hist. She had always loved swimming, which is how she got her name. She had loved to hunt with a spear and learned the properties of most fungus and flora in Black Marsh. The Imperial school in Argonia had taught her how to read, and she'd spent some hours with alchemists learning to make potions. She had been happy then. Happy and free, until that fateful day.

On that cursed day she had lost her freedom to some Dark Elves who had overpowered her one day she'd been hunting. They had placed some metal bracers on her, bracers that took away her magicka. She had been taken to a ship, tied up and sold at a Market to another Dark Elf. She had then spent her life cooking, cleaning and fixing the armor of her master, whatever he was called. That, or being used as a target for magic practice. Sometimes the spells didn't work on her, however. Whenever that happened, her master used a whip on her. And she had no chance, no chance of fighting back. She was just a slave, after all.

Things changed, however, when her Master had been chosen for a diplomatic mission in Cyrodill. She had been to follow and serve during the journey. She had devised a plan – a plan to win her freedom.

She needed to kill the master who always carried the key to the bracer in his pocket, and that night Swims-Around had made poison and hidden it in her master's food. The plan had partially worked, for the master had died and she had been able to get rid of the bracer. But there had been a drawback: she had been arrested for murder. Her sentence had been for life, but as limited as life was for a prisoner, it was better than slavery. Swims-Around did not regret the kill even if it had placed her in prison.

But all that was years ago – now Swims-Around had gotten used to the routine of the prison and while she dreamed of freedom, she never attempted to escape. She heard footsteps of guards approaching her cell and stood up. She was curious as to what was going on; it wasn't feeding time yet. To her surprise, the guard opened her cell door and told her to get out. Swims-Around obeyed, it wasn't a good idea to disobey guards in a prison, after all. She was curious, but dared not ask any questions.

She walked behind a guard upstairs, trough the corridors, and out of the garrison and into a carriage. The carriage moved on for a long time. Quietly Swims-Around pondered this change of events. Where were they taking her? And why? Questions, questions. In the end, they took her into a ship. Inside the ship, there were mainly guards, but also a dark elf with only one eye. There was a long scar in his face going through the other eye. He wore no shirt or shoes, despite the fact that they had given shoes even to the Argonian prisoner who could not wear them.

Swims-Around eyed the Dark Elf warily. She was apparently supposed to share the storage room with him, but Swims-Around would not be made slave again, no way. Then again, this Dark Elf didn't have the means to do anything, unless he was a mage or good with unarmed fighting. After the guard left towards the front, the Dark Elf turned to Swims-Around.

"My name is Jiub," he said.

"You're not going to start trouble, are you?" Swims-Around asked.

"No, I don't wish to spoil my chance of being set free," Jiub replied.

"Good," Swims-Around said,"I don't, either".

A bit more relaxed, Swims-Around was glad she had someone to talk to, after years of slavery and imprisonment. "Where'd you get that scar, Jiub?" Swims-Around asked.

"A fight. The other guy died," Jiub replied. "That's why I was sent to prison. What of you?"

"I was a slave and poisoned my master," Swims-Around said quietly, "and I don't regret it."

They talked quietly the rest of the day.


End file.
